In 1993, GL's then-executive producer Jill Farren Phelps made the surprising decision to kill off the character of Maureen Reardon Bauer (Ellen Parker) based on lackluster responses to the character during a focus group session. Maureen died in a car accident after discovering that her husband, Dr. Ed (Peter Simon), had been unfaithful to her. The scenes of Maureen's death were very well-acted by everyone involved, and Parker's performance earned her an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress. The character's death, and Parker's departure from the show, has proven to be extremely controversial and unpopular. GL has experienced ratings decline and upheaval for some time, and Parker's departure is often mentioned as a prime example of what went wrong. Jill Farren Phelps' big boo-boo gets no bandage from us, but it does land Maureen's death a spot on our list of memorable moments.
In 1993, GL's then-executive producer Jill Farren Phelps made the surprising decision to kill off the character of Maureen Reardon Bauer (Ellen Parker) based on lackluster responses to the character during a focus group session. Maureen died in a car accident after discovering that her husband, Dr. Ed (Peter Simon), had been unfaithful to her. The scenes of Maureen's death were very well-acted by everyone involved, and Parker's performance earned her an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress. The character's death, and Parker's departure from the show, has proven to be extremely controversial and unpopular. GL has experienced ratings decline and upheaval for some time, and Parker's departure is often mentioned as a prime example of what went wrong. Jill Farren Phelps' big boo-boo gets no bandage from us, but it does land Maureen's death a spot on our list of memorable moments.